REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
DIVISION OF CABADBARAN CITY

NORTHERN MINDANAO COLLEGES, INC.

Atega Street, Barangay 11 Poblacion, Cabadbaran City
8605 Agusan del Norte, Region XIII
NON-SECTARIAN
1946

BASIC CALCULUS 11
MODULE 2

CHAPTER 2: DERIVATIVES
LEARNING COMPETENCIES: At the end of the lesson, the learner shall be able to:
1. Compute higher-order derivatives of functions;
2. Illustrate the Chain Rule of differentiation; and
3. Solve problems using the Chain Rule

Lesson 7: HIGHER ORDER DERIVATIVES

INTRODUCTION

Consider the polynomial function f ( x )=x 4 + 3 x 3−4 x +2. Its derivative f ' ( x )=4 x3 + 9 x 2−4 , is again
'
differentiable. Therefore, we may still differentiate f ' to get ( f ' ) ( x )=f ' ' ( x )=12 x 2 +18 x .

This is again another differentiable function. We call f ' ' and its subsequent derivatives the higher-order
derivatives of f . Like f ' , which we interpret as the slope of the tangent line, the function f ' ' will have an
interpretation in physics if f denotes the displacement of a particle. For now, this lesson will reinforce our skills
in differentiating functions.

Example 1: Example 2:
1. Find the fourth derivative of the function 2. Find the highest-order derivative that will make
5 4 3 2
f ( x )=x −3 x +2 x −x +4 x−10 the function 0.
y=(3 x 2−4)( x 2−3 x )
(Using the derivative rules from the last lesson, we
differentiate the function repeatedly and obtain) (Now this time, we need to look for the highest-order
derivative. That means, we will not stop differentiating
f ' ( x )=5 x 4−12 x 3+ 6 x2 −2 x +4 until we obtain the value zero (0).)

(Using the Product Rule of Differentiation)

f ' ' ( x ) =20 x3 −36 x2 +12 x−2
y ' =(3 x 2−4) D x ( x 2−3 x ) +( x 2−3 x) D x (3 x 2−4 )
f ' ' ' ( x )=60 x 2−72 x+12
y ' =( 3 x 2−4 ) ( 2 x −3 ) +(x 2−3 x )(6 x)
f (4 ) ( x )=120 x−72 y ' =6 x 3−9 x 2−8 x +12+6 x 3−18 x2
y ' =12 x3 −27 x 2−8 x+12
Thus, the fourth derivative of
f ( x )=x 5−3 x 4 +2 x 3−x 2 +4 x−10 y ' ' =36 x 2−54 x−8
is f (4 ) ( x )=120 x−72
y ' ' ' =72 x−54
(4)
y =72

y (5 )=0  So we ended up on the 5th

derivative. Thus the highest-order is 5th
derivative.
Example 3: 1
g' ' ( x ) =
3. Find the 2nd Derivative of x3
2 x +4 Lesson 8: The Chain Rule.
g ( x )=
8x
(We differentiate the functions repeatedly and Example 4:
obtain)
Find the derivative of the function
8 x ( 2 )−(2 x + 4)(8) f ( x )=¿
g ' ( x )=  (Using the
¿¿ (In this case, we need to apply the Generalized
Quotient Rule)
Power Rule. Not the basic one.)
16 x−16 x−32
g' ( x ) =
64 x 2 We can rewrite y=f ( x )=¿ as
−32
g' ( x ) = y=f ( u )=u n where u=3 x 2−2 x +4 ,
64 x 2
g' ( x )= 2
−1 a differentiable function of x and n=2. Using the
2x chain rule, we have

(Similarly, we obtain the second derivative using the f ' ( x )=n ¿

same rule)
2
f ' ( x )=2 ¿
2 x (0)−(−1)(4 x )
g' ' ( x ) = ¿¿ f ' ( x )=2(3 x 2−2 x+ 4)(6 x−2)
'' 0+ 4 x
g ( x )=
4 x4 f ' ( x )=( 6 x 2−4 x+ 8 ) ( 6 x−2 )
4x
g' ' ( x )= 4 f ' ( x )=36 x 3−24 x 2 +48 x−12 x 2+ 8 x−16
4x
f ' ( x )=36 x 3−36 x 2+ 56 x −16

Example 5:
1. Find the Highest-Order Derivative of
y=¿
y ' ' =240 x 4 +192 x 3 +576 x 2+382 x−12
(Applying the chain rule we let
y ' ' ' =960 x 3 +576 x 2+1152 x +382
y=u 3=¿, and u=2 x 2 +4 x −1.)
Now we have
y ( 4)=2880 x 2 +1152 x+1152
y ' =3 ¿
y (5 )=5760 x+1152
y ' =3 ¿
y ' =3 ( 4 x 4 +16 x 2−1 ) ( 4 x +4 ) y (6 )=5760
y ' =(12 x 4 + 48 x2 −3)(4 x +4 )
y ' =48 x 5 +192 x3 −12 x +48 x 4 +192 x 2−12 y (7 )=0  Thus, the highest-order derivative
y ' =48 x 5 + 48 x 4 +192 x 3+ 192 x 2−12 x−12 of y=¿ is 7 derivative.
th

REFERENCES:
A. Domingo, Basic Calculus for Senior High School, C & E Publishing Inc., 2016
J.M. Balmaceda, Ph.D., Teaching Guide for Senior High School Basic Calculus, Commission on Higher
Education, 2016

Prepared By: LOVELY MAIDEN ASUNCION-CAMPOS

Math Teacher
Checked By: ABEGAIL R. BAROQUILLO, MA
Basic Education Principal

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
DIVISION OF CABADBARAN CITY

NORTHERN MINDANAO COLLEGES, INC.

Atega Street, Barangay 11 Poblacion, Cabadbaran City
8605 Agusan del Norte, Region XIII
NON-SECTARIAN
1946

BASIC CALCULUS 11
WORKSHEETS #2
Name: _________________________________________ Section: __________________
Name of Teacher: ________________________________ Date: ____________________

ACTIVITY 1 (HIGHER-ORDER DERIVATIVE)

A. Find the 4 thderivative of the following functions.

1. y=x 6 +3 x 5−2 x 4 + x 3−6 x 2+ 8 x +12

2. y=15 x 3 +9 x 2+20 x−18

B. Find the highest-order derivative of the functions f ( x )=( 2 x 2 +5 ) (3 x−2)

ACTIVITY 2 (CHAIN RULE)

Find the highest-order derivative of the functions f ( x )=¿

Prepared By: LOVELY MAIDEN ASUNCION-CAMPOS
Math Teacher